Arch support



May 24, 1932- J. M. DOOLITTLE 1,859,813

ARCH SUPPORT Filed Nov. 5, 1930 (fa/cob 'M .DooZzLZZZe,

Patented May 24, 1932 v p 1,859,818

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" JACOB MILLER DOOLITTLE, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA Anon surron'r Application filed November 5, 1930. Serial No. 493,632.

My invention relates to arch-supports, Figure 2, with a part of the shoe shown in more particularly to an arch-support adaptphantom. p ed for ready attachment to shoes of conven- In carrying out my invention I make use tional construction, and it consists in the comof any ordinary shoe of present-day con-.

binations, constructions, and arrangements struction, such as that generally designated 55 herein shown and described. at 1. This shoe has an upper 2, a sole 3', a

It is well known that ordinary or convenleather-heel portion 4:, and a rubber-heel portional shoes of today improperly distribute tion 5. The portion 5 is constructed of rub: the forces exerted thereon bythe foot of the her in this embodiment, though it could be 7 10 wearer, resulting, as the shoe is worn, not only made of leather or other material without af- 0 in twisting and warping'the same, so that it fecting the adaptation of my invention thereis detrimental to the comfort of the wearer, to. I have here illustrated an arrangement but oftentimes in serious and irreparable inof nails 6, that is found in a largenumber of jury to the arch of the foot or other portions shoes of ordinary construction. I In this par thereof. It is, therefore, a primary purpose tlculararrangement there are three nails in of my invention to provide an arch-support, the forward portion 7 of the heel. Other that will take up and so transmit the forces Shoes may have four nails or even more disexerted on the shoe, that the original form tributed along this forward wall of the heel. thereof will be preserved throughout its life, For firmly yet resiliently supporting the 20 and the wearers foot accommodated properarched portion 8 of the shoe I provide a blade ly and comfortably. 9 formed of substantially rigid though flex- A further object of my invention is to ible material such as the metal .used in the provide an arch-support that is designed for construction of springs or the like. This 'ready attachment or disattachment to the member 9 consists of a body portion 10, a

25 several forms of shoes now in use after the gripping portion 11, and a bifurcated part 12. same are made, or as an improvement to be The body portion 10 is adapted to act as a incorporated in shoes during the manufacture mounting for an element of my arch-support thereof. soon to be described. 1

A still further object of my invention is The bifurcated part 12. of this member 9 0 to provide an arch-support that will resilientas appears most clearly from an examination ly yet firmly support the foot of the wearer, of Figures 1 and 2, is adapted to be forced resulting in easier walking and a tendency to between the heel portion 4 and the outer heel correct foot defects already present. portion 5 of the heel of the shoe. In shoes A yet further object of my invention is to having an odd number of nails. in the forward provide a device ofthe type described, that portion of the heel the tynes of the forked has few parts, does not get out of order easily, portion 12 will engage about the central of and is simple to manufacture. these, as is best shown in Figure 3. If the Other objects and advantages will appear shoe has an even number of nails at this point, as the specification proceeds and the inventhe part 12 will readily engage between the 40 tion will be more particularly defined in the two nearest central of these nails. This ar- 9 appended claim. rangement serves to fixedly anchor one end of My device is illustrated in the accompanymember 9 as can be easily understood. ing drawings forming a part of this applica- To complete the fixing'of the blade in position, in which tion the teeth 13 and the fastener engaging 45 Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a shoe means consisting of the apertures 14 on part equipped with my invention, 11 are provided. These teeth 13 are sharp- Figure 2 is an elevational View of the shoe ened and turned upwardly as appears in of Figure 1 with a part in section on line Figure 2 to engage the sole of the shoe at a' 2-2 of Figure 1, point in the forward part of arch 8, when 5 Figure 3 is a sectional View on line 3-3 of pressure is exerted 011 them. They are further maintained in position by means of the fasteners 15, which may consist of nails or other suitable means mounted in the apertures l4 and engaging the sole of the shoe. If necessary, during the placing of the blade in position the same is bent as indicated at 16 to accommodate the form of theshoe.

For further resiliently supporting the arch of the shoe and for transmitting the forces exerted on the heel of said shoe to points of support best adapted to resist such forces I provide a pad 17 constructed of rubber or other similar resilient material and mounted on the body part 10 of element 9 in abutting relationship to the forward wall 7 of the heel. This pad is secured in position by rivets engageable through blade 9 with washers embedd'ed'in the pad as indicated at 18 and 19 respectively.

From the foregoing description the use and operation of my invention is easily understood. The support is positioned on the shoe as heretofore set forth with its rear wall engaging the forward wall of the heel in close abutting relationship.

When the wearer takes a step the forces exerted on the sole portion 3 and the heel are accommodated in thespring metal part 9 of my device which reacts'resiliently to assist the muscles of the arch of the foot of the wearer in supporting the shocks incident to said forces. The resilient pad 17 during this Walking operation by means ofits engagement with the forward wall of the heel also transmits certain of the forces from said heel to the blade for accommodation therein. This pad also serves as an additional support to the arch of the foot of the user as it rests on-the ground, when the shoe is worn. Of course, however, it is within the limits of my invention to have this pad member 17 made of lesser depth than the heel so that the same will not rest on the ground during operation.

It will be observed that the forward portion 11 of element 9 'engagesthe sole 3 in such close relationship that dirt, and other for eign matter will not accumulate between the blade and the sole. As a further precaution against disorder of my device the blade may be constructed of non-rustable metal.

It is thusseen that I have provided an arch support that will readily receive and absorb shocks usually occurring in the arched portions of shoes during use, thus preventing warping, twisting and other forms of deterioration incident to said shocks.

It is also seen that, because of the resilient nature of my support, the foot of the. wearer will be assisted in naturally supporting the Weight thereon leading to a strengthening of the muscles of the foot with a consequent correction of defects therein.

It is further observed that I have provided an arch-support that is readily attachable to or detachable from shoes of conventional construction as Well as adapted for incorporation in shoes during the manufacture thereof.

What I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

An arch support comprising a metal strip having a slotted tongue formed to engage about a nail in the-heel of a shoe and between the layers of said heel, and a body portion bent upwardly from said slotted tongue for engagement with the shank of the shoe, and a resilient pad of rubber fastened to said body portion to engage the ground and abut the heel of the shoe and said strip at the bent portion thereof, saidstrip having a row of teeth at its outer extremity placed at an angle to the length thereof so as to parallel to the break line of the arched portion of the shoe, and fastening means adjacent said teeth for securing said strip in'place.

JACOB MILLER DOOLITTLE. 

